DuPont fibers
- sail care

Dacron® and Dacron® 52 for durable sails

Dacron® is the DuPont brand name for its family of polyester fibers of differing weights and properties. Because of the physical properties of Dacron®, yarns can be engineered in varying proportions and they are excellent for sailcloth applications. Dacron® and Dacron® 52 polyester provide four key properties: low stretch, high strength, high tension during heat treating and low incidence of broken filaments. These are essential to performance and quality in sailcloth. Dacron® 52 has a balance of properties specifi­cally suited for sailcloth, yielding the highest possible per­formance and durability. Only DuPont makes Dacron® and Dacron® 52 polyester.

Kevlar® for high-performance sails

Kevlar® is the DuPont brand name for its family of aramid fibers noted for their exceptionally high strength and stretch resistance. Kevlar® has a tensile strength about five times that of steel at equal weights. Kevlar® 29 and Kevlar® 49 are used in racing or other high-performance sails where maintaining a "fast" shape is critical to performance. Kevlar® has changed the way racing sails are made. Its extremely low stretch and high strength have made it possible for designers to form sail shapes impossible before its invention.  DuPont Kevlar® 29 and Kevlar® 49 each contain a balance of three properties essential to performance in sail-cloth for racing: low stretch-to-weight, high strength-to-weight and low creep. Only DuPont makes Kevlar®.

How to use, care for and clean sails made of Dacron® or Kevlar®

Proper use

•   Avoid flogging. Motoring into the wind with the mainsail hoisted will cause damage to the sailcloth and deteriorate sail performance. Prevent leech flutter by adjusting the genoa fairlead and leech cord.
•   Use sails only within the manufacturer's wind range. Excessive wind range will prematurely age a sail through weakened stitching, seams, etc.
•   Avoid late release of genoa sheet on tacking. Release no later than when boat is head-to-wind. Backing against spreader may distort or split the genoa.
•   Ease main outhaul and halyard while docked. Release tension on main outhaul if foot is not a loose foot or shelf design. Also, to prevent luff stretching, ease up on the halyard if on a roller-furling headsail.
•   Tape up sharp edges. Exposed cotter pins and sharp edges in the rigging, lifelines and turnbuckles can puncture and tear sails.

Storage and maintenance

•   Protect your sails from exposure to the sun when not in use. Sailcloth can lose up to half its strength after just three months of continuous exposure. Store sails in sail bags. Always use a main cover and a leech cover on furling sails.
•   Dry sails before stowing. Dampness can cause mildew. Colors between panels can bleed on certain nylon fabrics in spinnakers and Gennakers when the sails are wet when stowed away. Roll up wet roller-furling sails loosely to promote drying. Damp climates are notoriously mildew-friendly - spray with a disinfectant (e.g, Lysol®) into the sail bag before closing.
•   Fold sails, don't stuff. Creasing can break down fibers in the fabric and weaken the sail.
•   Store sails away from dampness and heat.Keep sails in a ventilated area away from sources of heat on your boat (e.g., engine, heater, lights) and at home (water heaters, furnaces, hot water pipes). Never store sails in the trunk of your car. Keep sails of Kevlar® (and any laminated sail) away from diesel or gasoline fuels and other petroleum-based products. Exposure can deteriorate the adhesive bonding.

•   Clean every year before winter storage. Remove dirt and salt using mild detergent and brush. Avoid excessive agitation. Rinse and dry thoroughly before folding for storage.
•   Remove mildew immediately. Spray small sail areas with a disinfectant (e.g., Lysol®). On sails of Dacron® polyester, wash larger areas by soaking in a mixture of 25% chlorine bleach (e.g., Clorox®) and 75% water for 15 minutes. (Warning: Never use chlorine bleaches on sails of nylon or Kevlar® aramid - use only mild detergent and brush). Rinse sail thoroughly with fresh water. Exposure to sunlight should fade any stain residues over time after the mildew is stopped.

•   Have sailmaker inspect and repair sails annually. Your sailmaker knows exactly what to look for and where to look for it. An annual inspection will keep you way ahead of small repairs so they don't build to major ones.
•   Patch small tears temporarily. Provided tears are not located near the leech, they can be patched with sail repair tape (or duct tape, if absolutely necessary) to prevent enlarging of the tear.
•   Repair broken stitches near the leech. Broken stitches in light-load areas may not cause a failure of the sail. The sail should be restitched, however, if breaks occur in the leech - especially before the seam ruptures completely, thereby complicating repair.

Copyright 1995 E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
® Dacron, Dacron 52 and Kevlar are registered trademarks of DuPont